When Google Challenges Europe: Defending the Fight Back

Author: Jean-No?l Jeanneney (France)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: In response to Google's launch of the GooglePrint Publishers program in October 2004, Jean-No?l Jeanneney, the Director of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, pointed out the dangers and challenges this program posed to different cultures and called for initiatives to preserve the diversity of world cultures and defend the cultures of nations and regions. In the context of digitalization in various countries, he offered his own opinions and suggestions on issues such as free collaboration, national funding support, the selection of specific technologies and standards for digitalization, the long-term preservation of digital resources, and the management of digitalization projects. This book, published after Google announced its plan to digitize printed books, proposes initiatives on how to defend local cultures and maintain the diversity of world cultures. Google, the world's largest search engine, plans to build the world's largest online library by 2015, and the European Union views this plan as a cultural invasion of Europe by the United States. In this polemical booklet, Jean-No?l Jeanneney, the Director of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, strongly responds to Google's plan and calls for the preservation of the diversity of world cultures and the defense of the cultures of nations and regions. Although this booklet was initially aimed at French readers, its topic is relevant worldwide. As Jeanneney stated in the preface to the Chinese edition: "Here, I want to reiterate to my Chinese readers that our efforts are not just for the benefit of Europe. In this new venture of digital libraries, Europe can learn from and collaborate with China, India, the Arab world, Latin America, and other regions of the world. Such exchanges benefit all of humanity." Jean-No?l Jeanneney is the Director of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. This article was first published in France and translated into Chinese in 2006. It reflects the views of Jeanneney and EU officials and governments who see Google's online library plan as a cultural invasion of Europe by the United States. In this polemical booklet, Jeanneney strongly responds to Google's plan and calls for the preservation of the diversity of world cultures and the defense of the cultures of nations and regions.